Israel's quest for legitimacy, support at new low with ICC arrest warrants

But the ICC's decision also represents a huge political gamble for the global court

- Jonathan Eyal

LONDON - The decision by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant, both of whom stand accused of war crimes, has triggered a furious response from leading Israelis.

In a rare show of unanimity in a country famous for its fractious politics, all of Israel's political class joined hands in denouncing the ICC's move.

President Isaac Herzog, who as a ceremonial head of state is above daily politics, called the court's announcement "a dark day for justice and humanity", claiming that the ICC had "chosen the side of terror and evil over democracy and freedom".

And, more predictably, the Israeli Prime Minister's office branded the ICC action "an anti-Semitic decision", allegedly coming "from a biased and discriminatory political body".

Despite all their fury and vows to ignore the court's warrants, Israeli officials know that their country will struggle to extricate itself from its increasingly difficult legal predicament.

Yet, it is also true that the ICC's decision to issue the arrest warrants represents a huge political gamble for the court and the broader application of international law because of the possibility that it might have overreached.

Most of the Israeli criticism of the ICC is unjustified and lacks a rational basis.